Bellydance
I guess it all started with a
TV show called “I Dream Of Jeannie”. I loved Barbara Eden and thought
her costume was awesome. As a kid I figured that if I could just get my hands
on that outfit, then I’d also have her magical powers.
But besides learning Greek
dance as a child, I didn’t have a dance background and started learning
Bellydance in 1992. I loved it from the start and practiced a lot at home as
I hopped from teacher to teacher trying (unsuccessfully) to find one that I
not only liked but that taught well too.
And so it came to be that
rather than religiously following one teacher or style, I learnt from a
variety of people which has given me an understanding of Bellydance from many
different perspectives.
I began performing 1995, and
then running some Bellydance classes in 1997 at my local university. My
teaching life had begun in 1991 when I became a group fitness instructor and
a swimming teacher, so I’d already had quite a lot of teaching experience,
and in 1998 I decided to teach and perform Bellydance full time.
In 2002 I completed
Australia’s only accredited Teacher Training Course in Bellydance through
Belyssa (from Perth, Western Australia).
Fee For A Bellydance Performance
The cost of a 20 minute show is between $200 and $300, depending on: day of the week, night or day, and travel time. I dance at all types of events, with the exception of buck's parties. NOTE: cancellation fee (ie. if I turn up and performance is cancelled) is half of the agreed price.
From The Hip
In this section I provide thoughts, opinions, tips and info about all things Bellydance.
The website 'Urban Dictionary (www.urbandictionary.com) defines the phrase 'from the hip' as referring to a person who "speaks or behaves in a brusque, honest fashion" and who "does not censor their actions or words." It says that shooting from the hip means that to shoot from the hip is "to be brutally honest; to tell it like it is; to pull no punches." And this is what I try to do in in my writing. I write it like I mean it!
Bill Stout sums my writing style up nicely on page 105 of “The Enterprising Writer” by Michael Meanwell: “Dare to say what you want to say, and say it as plainly as you can...write bravely.”
So, be warned: I don't provide any sugar-coating whatsoever. I tell it how I see it - the good, the bad, the ugly, and the revolting. However, as truth is subjective, keep in mind that these articles are not The Truth but simply my truth, stemming from my experiences and observations. Read on and enjoy!
This
is me at Coogee Beach, striking the pose!
Same beach, different
outfit. (Love that Coogee Beach!)